So im new to this forum, and new to adv riding, but am considering an adv bike for my next steed. I have just written off (not my fault) my owned from new 06 GSXR1000, and thought it might be time for a change. i loved the gixxer (had handlebars and a swag of other mods) but sadly, it was taken away from me in a accident.

Currently, 95% of my riding is commuting, but i was hoping to spend a little time exploring, now im over the need for speed. since im new to dirt (have ridden some dirtbikes in a padock, but ill still consider myself new), i was thinking of a smaller adv bike.

some options ive considered now are

DR650
KLR650
Husky TR650

I have a budget of about 11K AUD, and cant ride till mid jan at earliest next year (broken hand requiring pins and plates, and a broken wrist). as mentioned commuting in traffic, along highways (100kph) and normal streeta (60) is the norm, with the odd trip off road. Once i finish uni, and back in a high paying job, ill look at r1200gs etc, but for now, cheap, functional and good are requirements.

Here in oz, the klr and dr are about 2k cheaper than the husky, but the husky looks to be better std.

So since this is the dr thread - why should i buy a dr?

You come into this thread knowing that we're likely to be biased, so that's good.

Why the DR? It's simple. It's durable. It's lighter in the dirt. Parts are available and affordable for maintenance, repair, and upgrade. The issues are pretty well known and sorted. This isn't a bike that will take a home-mechanic over a week to fix, whereas some more-complicated bikes have stumped a dealer shop for MONTHS.

The KLR and TR are supposed to be more oriented towards pavement, but I think the DR is even a better foundation for a road bike than the KLR. The DR engine tends to be smoother, the DR tends to respond better to mods, and the DR isn't prone to burning oil...even running near redline. The DR can be built for over 50WHP, while I've never seen a KLR dyno graph of similar power. Even a 40WHP DR with a pumper carb can feel pretty peppy though. The air/oil-cooled DR also isn't prone to overheating like an air-cooled or a water-cooled bike is, and the oil-cooler can be bypassed, in a pinch, if it gets damaged. Try that with a radiator and you'll have problems.

I wouldn't want to drop a TR in the dirt like I drop my DR. Parts are not likely to be as cheap or as available. I doubt that the KLR or TR would be as durable when used as a dirtbike either. Both the KLR and TR are also over 400lb, and the KLR valves need shims if adjustment is called for. I don't know about the TR, but the DR is screw/locknut that is simply adjusted.

If you're going to stay on pavement and/or close to civilization, keeping the bike fairly stock, I'd be taking a long look at the TR. It reportedly has good power and a smooth engine for a thumper, and I believe ABS is available to you in Oz. That Rotax engine is a fuel miser too. If you're going off the pavement or away from civilization much though, I'd be very biased towards a modded DR...Throw on an 8gal tank, a comfy seat, and maybe a windscreen if you want to go long distances at slab speeds. There are MANY more aftermarket parts available for the DR right now too, and nobody knows how long Husky is going to offer the TR. By the time the aftermarket sells a decent selection, Husky may terminate it. Suzuki has been selling the same basic DR since '96. Parts are all over, and the DR is generic enough that even parts from many other bikes are easy to adapt. Many people swap on fully-adjustable dirtbike suspension, fenders, pumper carbs, etc. The DR can REALLY be changed from stock pretty easily.

Do you want a modern near-stock commuter that you can play with in easy dirt, or do you want a simple and affordable roughneck bike that will go anywhere with maybe a bit less style? Range Rover or Land Rover? Me? I wouldn't want to scratch the Range Rover. You may want more posh.